Overland Journal – August 01, 2019

OVERLANDJOURNAL FALL 2019

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cametheessentialbakkiebox,whichcarriedanythingandev -

erythingyoumightneed.Alockableiron chestspanningthe

widthofthepickupbin,it containeda well-keptinventoryof

sparepartsandtoolsneededforlighttomediumrepairs,such

ashoses,filters,replacementnutsandbolts,andalltheoilsand

fluids.A testamenttotheCruisers’reliabilityis howfewspares

carriedactuallygotusedexceptforduringregularservices.The

restoftheboxconstitutedtools,towropes,jackingplates,punc-

tureplugkits,pangas,geopicks,and,ofcourse,secretstashesof

biltong(beefjerky’stastyAfricancousin).

Abreakdownforsomeoneonholidayis justa delay.When

yourvehicleis a crucialcoginyourbusiness,andyouareinthe

middleofnowherecoveredinbuzzingmopaneflies,anavoid-

ablebreakdownmeansgettingonthesatellitephonetotheof-

ficeinSouthAfricaandhavingyourearchewedoffbytheboss

forbeingnegligent.Theideais thatonemayonlyneedoneof

thosesparesortoolsonceinyourcareer,butnothavingit that

onetimewouldmean you were not going anywhere, and help is

a longtimeaway.

CONCLUSION

Thedebateoverwhich4WDis thebestofthebestwillrage

onforever;asfarasworkingmodelsgo,a chorusofvoicesfrom

theSub-Saharanplainsandvalleysechotheopinionthatthe

LandCruiseris theonetogetthejobdoneeffectively.These

vehicles are durable workhorses in tough terrain, and also the

reliablesafetylineshouldanythinggowrongfarawayfromhelp.

Theirpopularityinmineralexplorationhasusurpedotherve -

hicles,throughdecadesofdoggedreliabilitycappedwithmany

legendaryperformances.

Bynotconformingtothenumberof electronicsandgadget-

rythatweseeonother4WDstoday,Toyotahassetthemselves

asidebykeepingthemodernLandCruiserperfectlysuitedto the

ruggedworkit wasdesignedfordecadesago.Safetyandemis-

sionsregulationsaretighteningin mineralexplorationandother

industriesthough,andthedemandforcivilianuseis increas-

ingtoo.It willbeinterestingtoseehowmuchlongertheLand

Cruiserwillremainthevehicleweknowandlove,orwhether

Toyotawillbeforcedto keepupwiththeJonesesandmodernize

theelectronicsandemissions.Whathappenshereremainstobe

seen,buttheCruiserhasalreadymadea nameforitselfinthe

historybooks.Formanya soul,searchingforAfrica’streasures

justwouldnothavebeenthesamewithoutthatcomfortinglow

growlof a 1HZengine,anda viewoverthatlongwhite nose and

bull bar, steering into another red African sunset.

An early-model70-Seriespickupwith a 4.2-litre1HZ engine,crossing

a riverduringthe rainyseason in Northern Botswana. Snorkels were a

must in these conditions.